Vera Pearce spent much of her youth in Adelaide. After making her stage debut at age five with the World’s Entertainers, she trained as a juvenile performer in J.C. Williamson’s pantomimes and musicals, and scored much acclaim for her role in the Firm’s 1910 hit Our Miss Gibbs. Between 1914 and 1922 (with Hugh D. McIntosh’s guidance) she became a huge Tivoli star and also featured in two films - The Shepherd of the Southern Cross (1914) and The Martyrdom of Nurse Cavell (1916).
Pearce moved to the United Kingdom in 1922 and went on to work consistently on the London stage in musicals and pantomimes until her death. She also appeared in at least 16 British films between 1931 and 1966.
[Source: Australian Variety Theatre Archive]
